At the present time shoulder harness belts are used by a very small number of drivers in spite of the fact that most cars are equipped with them, 1974 ignition interlocks notwithstanding. One of the main reasons for non-use lies in the position of the belt when in use and its construction. To be effective in all positions of the driver's seat, a shoulder belt must be attached to the car a substantial distance rearwardly of the driver's shoulder when the seat is in its rearmost position. The angle of the belt as it crosses the wearer's shoulder increases as the seat is moved forward. As the seat moves forward, the edge of the belt facing the neck of the wearer moves toward the neck of the wearer into contact either with the skin or clothing of the wearer. The hard coarse weave of the average belt results in its having a rough or serrated edge which either abrades the user's neck or his clothing. This constant rubbing and its effects can be very annoying and very often leads to disuse of the belt.
Furthermore, in case of an accident or sudden stop in which the user is thrown forwardly, tests have proven that considerable cosmetic injury can be caused to the user by the belt's edge. At times the serrated edge of the belt actually cuts into or severely abrades the neck of the wearer.
One of the first newspaper articles which mentioned the observation that "the upper torso safety belt may cause abrasions in the neck and shoulder area of the driver or passenger it protects" is quoted verbatim hereafter to provide some evidence of the authenticity of the problem and to review the time frame in which this problem became apparent to the automobile industry. THE WASHINGTON POST, Sunday, Aug. 20, 1967 "Doubt Cast on Shoulder Seat Belts By Robert W. Irvin Special to the Washington Post DETROIT, Aug. 19 -- Crash tests indicate that in some cases the shoulder belts that will be required under the 1968 Federal auto safety standards may do more harm than good in an accident.
"The new information `raises a question as to whether upper torso belts should be mandatory on 1968 motor vehicles,` the Federal Highway Administration said today."
"The officials are taking another look at the seat belt regulation because they are obviously worried by results of tests at the General Motors proving ground near Milford, Michigan."
"Films of the test were sent to Washington early this summer but the decision for a full review of the regulation was not made until recently after the results of tests on human volunteers at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. The tests were conducted by the National Bureau of Standards."
"The tests indicated that in a 30 mph barrier crash `the upper torso safety belt may cause abrasions in the neck and shoulder area of the driver or passenger it protects,` the Government said, but added that it `did stop test participants from being smashed forward`. "
It could be summarily reasoned that with the mandatory factory installation of air bags in all new 1976 or 1977 automobiles and thereafter that shoulder belts and all of the problems associated with the wearing of shoulder belts will no longer be a major concern to the individual motorist or to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, by 1975 there will probably be 100 million automobiles registered in the United States within the 1967 to 1976 models that were required to be equipped with shoulder belts as original equipment.